Facts About the Komodo Dragon That Kids Would Enjoy Reading

Need for Conservation

Komodo dragons are one of the most interesting creatures that walk on land. Although they are named after a dragon, they share little similarity with those mythical creatures. In fact, these animals are the biggest living lizards in the world. They are on the vulnerable species Red List of IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) and considered an endangered species by CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species).

Natural History

Komodo dragons are descendants of giant monitors that lived in Australia around 3-4 million years ago. Over millions of years, these land-based lizards spread westward to survive habitat loss and human pressure.

Scott Hocknull, the Senior Curator of Geosciences at the Queensland Museum in Brisbane, and his colleagues estimate that Komodo dragons moved to the Indonesian islands around 900,000 years ago.

Though they share a common ancestor with dinosaurs called Diapsids, Komodo monitors are not related to the dinosaurs. Diapsids split into different groups: one containing dinosaurs, birds, and others; another containing lizards, snakes, and similar reptiles.

Discovery

Komodo dragons were discovered by the western world when a pilot during WWI crash-landed on one of the Lesser Sunda Islands and spotted these extraordinary creatures.

In 1910, rumours of lizard-like creatures reached Lieutenant van Steyn van Hensbroek of the Dutch Infantry, who was based in Flores at the time. He was later able to catch a small Komodo. Some pearl fishermen also reported seeing gigantic, prehistoric animals living on Komodo Island.

In 1926, the American Museum of Natural History organized an expedition to find out the truth behind the tales of giant monitor lizards. The expedition, led by W. Douglas Burden, was successful, it brought back 12 dead specimens and two live ones. It was Burden who is credited with giving these giant monitors the name "Komodo dragons."

Physical Characteristics

Tongue

The tongue is forked, just like a snake's. Komodo dragons use their tongue to smell any carrion (dead animal) nearby. They flick their tongue out to taste the air and pick up scents. The forked tongue then touches the roof of the mouth, which connects to the Jacobson's organs (organs that help detect smells) to sniff out a meal.

Teeth

Komodo dragons use their sharp claws and curved teeth to bite into prey. Because their teeth are serrated, meat gets caught between them easily, decays, and leads to the growth of fatal pathogens.

Vision

Komodos have good daytime vision and can see up to approximately 900 feet away. However, they have poor night vision, which is why they prefer to hunt during the day. They can spot a moving object more easily than a still one, a trait that helps them catch prey. They see colors clearly, but not in dim light.

Saliva

Their saliva, which is reddish in color, is known to be deadly, it carries around 50 infectious agents, particularly bacteria. If prey manages to escape a Komodo's attack, it will not stay lucky for long. The deadly bacteria in the monitor's saliva will eventually kill it. The attacking Komodo then follows the bitten animal at a leisurely pace and devours it after the prey succumbs.

Venom

Although scientists once thought Komodo prey mostly die from blood poisoning caused by bacteria in the saliva, later research revealed an equally deadly venom. After chemically analyzing the venom of two dead Komodos, a team of venom researchers at the University of Melbourne identified the venom as a key killer. It is reported to lower blood pressure, hasten blood loss, and send the injured animal into shock.

Hearing

Their hearing is less developed than their other senses, so they do not tend to rely on it. Their hearing covers only a small range of sound frequencies.

Sexual Dimorphism

Males are generally 10 ft long and weigh around 200 lb, while females can reach up to 5 to 7 ft and weigh around 150 lb. Males also have a distinct scale pattern at the base of their tail.

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Behavioral Adaptations

Komodo dragons are skilled climbers and can ambush even medium- to large-sized animals. They can eat prey weighing more than 80% of their own body weight.

They are cold-blooded and need to manage their body temperature carefully. Each morning they warm up in the sun, because low body temperatures can cause their stomach contents to rot. But overheating is also dangerous, so they seek shade in the afternoon when it gets too hot.

During the rainy season, they shelter inside burrows to hold onto body heat. Komodos use burrows dug by other animals such as rodents, palm civets, and porcupines.

Cannibalism

Komodos are cannibalistic, they will eat old, injured, or young Komodos that cannot defend themselves. Baby Komodos stay in trees after hatching to avoid becoming a meal for an adult. They are safe up there because adults are too heavy to climb. The young ones feed on tree-dwelling animals, birds, and insects.

Super Predator

Komodo dragons grew to such a large size because they are the biggest predators on these Indonesian islands and face no competition from other species for food. Scientists also think their great size was an evolutionary adaptation that helped them feed on dwarf elephants that once lived on these islands.

Habitat and Diet

Climatic Range

Komodos thrive in dry and hot climates. They prefer rocky terrains, forests, swamps, coral reefs, beaches, dry river beds, grasslands, and bushes.

According to estimates, Komodo Island is home to around 1,700 giant monitors, while Flores contains about 2,000 more. The islands of Rinca and Gili Motang have 1,300 and 100 Komodos respectively. The human population on these islands is very small.

Komodos need very little water to survive and can go without food for weeks.

Where They Live: Volcanic Islands

The Komodo dragon is found on only a few remote islands of the Indonesian archipelago: Komodo, Flores, Gili Motang, Rinca, and Padar. These islands are geographically part of Asia. Long ago the dragon's former range spanned the whole of Flores and several other tiny islands nearby, from where it seems to have disappeared all of a sudden. It was primarily found on the island of Komodo, which is how it got its name.

Komodo dragons inhabit arid volcanic islands in the Indian Ocean. With normal temperatures typically exceeding 80°F, the region is considered one of the harshest places on the planet. These islands face a severe shortage of water, because it only rains here for about a month or so in December. The region is virtually dry between March and November, and that is exactly when a Komodo's ability to survive long stretches without water becomes so important.

When the temperature grows unbearable, these dragons dig burrows with their sharp claws and shelter inside. When it cools down, the cold-blooded reptiles bask in the sun all across the islands. On top of the water shortage for most of the year, they also have to deal with frequent volcanic eruptions, soaring heat, and cannibalism from their own kind in times of food scarcity. Even the monsoons, which hit the island chain for only a short period, bring flooding that adds to their troubles.

Size & Body

The Komodo dragon, also called the Komodo monitor, is the largest of the roughly 5,600 living species of lizards. A member of the monitor lizard family, it is famous for its enormous size, reaching a length of around 6 to 10 feet and weighing somewhere between 140 and 160 lb at full growth. That gigantic body, combined with serrated teeth and sharp claws, helps it dominate its habitat and take down almost anything it comes across, including carrion, snakes, and even fellow dragons.

What They Eat

Komodo dragons feed on water buffaloes, deer, wild boars, snakes, and other small animals found in their habitat. They prefer hunting deer and small mammals, but they can also bring down large prey (like a full-grown water buffalo) by hunting in groups. Otherwise they are a solitary species, seen together only when hunting or feeding. As the lone apex predator of these islands, the Komodo rarely runs short of food. When it does, it either turns to carrion or goes as far as hunting its own kind.

Built for the Hunt

On top of their sharp claws and serrated teeth, these lizards carry toxic saliva that can kill their prey within a few hours, if the prey even survives the brutal first attack. They can sprint over short distances at speeds of up to 15 miles per hour, which is very handy when hunting in what is more or less barren land. They can also climb trees, dive, and swim. In fact, the young ones spend the first few years of their life up in the trees, staying clear of the adults of their own kind that are known to prey on them.

The World Meets the Dragon

In 1927, when the Reptile House at London Zoo opened, all eyes were on the two Komodo dragons brought there from their native home in the far east. Europeans got to see something they had never dreamed of, a lizard bigger than the average adult human. The existence of these lizards was not known to the wider world until Europeans bumped into them in 1910, but thanks to hundreds of studies since, we now know some of the most fascinating details of their lives. The species was named by the American adventurer W. Douglas Burden when he led an American expedition to Komodo in 1928.

A Thought Experiment: Joined Islands

Here is something worth thinking about. Komodo dragons are restricted to a few volcanic islands. What if some underwater volcanic activity were to join these islands with the rest of the Indonesian archipelago? The chances of this cannot be ruled out, the American continents were shaped by a similar event when the volcanic Isthmus of Panama rose from the sea. If it ever happened here, it would give free rein to the Komodo dragons and could spell trouble for other species. It might sound unlikely, but it is definitely worth giving a thought.

Reproduction

The female lays around 15 to 30 eggs by digging a hole in the ground. The eggs are not hard like a hen's, they are rubbery and expand as the baby grows. They look a bit like a balloon filled with water. The eggs hatch in 9 or more months if the temperature is right. They usually hatch in April, and the hatchlings use a special tooth called an egg tooth to crack the shell open from inside.

After hatching, the babies head straight for the trees and stay there. The female guards the eggs, but as soon as they hatch, her role as a parent ends. Although Komodo dragons normally reproduce sexually, some cases of parthenogenesis (asexual reproduction, which is also seen in some insects and other reptiles) have been reported in zoos.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big do Komodo dragons get?

Males reach up to 10 ft (3 m) and about 200 lb. Females are smaller at up to 8 ft and 150 lb. Adults typically measure 6-10 ft and 140-160 lb.

Are Komodo dragons venomous?

Yes, researchers at the University of Melbourne found they have venom glands that lower blood pressure and cause blood loss in prey.

What do Komodo dragons eat?

They eat snakes, deer, wild boar, and even water buffalo, plus carrion. They can consume prey weighing more than 80% of their own body weight.

Where do Komodo dragons live?

On a few arid volcanic Indonesian islands, Komodo, Flores, Rinca, Gili Motang, and Padar.

How long do Komodo dragons live?

They can live 30 or more years in the wild, though captive lifespans are often shorter due to disease.

Humans and Komodos

Komodos in Captivity

Because of their prehistoric appearance and fierce nature, Komodos have become popular zoo attractions worldwide. There are currently approximately 50 Komodos in various zoological parks across the USA. Captive breeding programmes are underway to help grow their population. It was the Smithsonian National Zoological Park that first exhibited a Komodo dragon, in 1934, though the animal survived only two years there.

Attacks on Humans

Komodo dragons are also dangerous to humans. There are several documented cases of people being attacked by these animals. In one case, a German tourist was mauled to death by Komodos. In another incident, a park ranger was attacked by a Komodo while doing paperwork in his hut and narrowly survived after receiving serious injuries.

Zookeepers have noticed that Komodos can tell one human from another and are generally less aggressive in captivity. However, their calmness can be deceiving, as Phil Bronstein, executive editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, found out when he was invited inside a Komodo's enclosure and received a serious foot injury.

Life in Captivity

In zoos, Komodos are prone to infectious and parasitic diseases, and their lifespan is considerably shorter in captivity. Komodos and their discovery served as an inspiration for the original King Kong movie.

Sadly, these reptiles face the threat of disappearing due to human encroachment on their habitat and shrinking food sources. Natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tidal waves, and forest fires also reduce their numbers.

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